Bedstead



UNITED srATEs PATENT oEEroE.

THOMAS WALL, OF JONES STATION, OHIO.

BEDSTEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,621, dated June 5, 1860.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THos. VALL, of Jones Station, in the county ofButler and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvenient inBedsteads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andcomplete description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings and letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of thisspecification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete bedsteadin the constructionof which my improvements are employed. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionthrough the center of one of the posts and of the ratchet, pawl and aportion of one of the side rails. Figs. 3 and 4 are end views of partsto be described.

My invention relates to the manner of connecting the side rails of abedstead to the corner posts thereof and retaining them in place, alsoto an improved device for tightening the bed cord when the same isapplied to the bedstead in the manner herein described.

A B C D are the four corner posts of a bedstead of the ordinary generalconstruction.

E F are the side rails which are round and have tenons formed upon theirends which enter appropriate mortises in the corner posts. The tenonsand mortises by which the ends of F are united to the corner posts aresquare, and the rail F is thus prevented from turning around in themortises by the strain of the bed cord upon the pins placed upon theperiphery of the rail as will be explained. The rail E has round tenonsand the mortises or holes in the posts which they enter are also round.The ends of the side rails E and F each pass through anged sockets (l,eZ, e, f. The apertures through these sockets are of the size and shapeof the tenons respectively, the ends of the rails projecting through farenough to form the tenons which have been mentioned, and the unflangedend of the sockets aording the shoulders which bear against the surfaceof the posts around the mortises or holes into which the tenonspenetrate. A pin (g) secures the sockets to their places on the rails.

Gr G are end rails which are framed into i the corner posts either by amortise and tenon or by a right and left screw or any other familiar andapproved mode.

(7c 7c) are clasps or hooks fastened to posts B C D and hooking orclasping the flanges of the sockets (Z, d, f, respectively serve toretain the side rails in union with the corner posts, and in connectionwith the hook latch 71, preserving the bedstead frame firm and secure.The periphery of the flange to socket (e) is notched or serrated toconstitute it a ratchet wheel, to the under or lower side of which thehook latch (71,) is adapted. This latch is constructed with a U shapedpart, an arm of which passes back upon two opposite sides of the squarepart of post A at a point in a horizontal line with 'the lower or underedge of the fiange or Ythe rail to which t-he ratchet is secured isacted upon by the cords as will be explained.

j is a spring fastened by one end to the post A and its other endapplied to the ratchet latch It as shown, causing it to remain incontact with the ratchet and enter the notches or recesses appropriatelyas the side rail and ratchet are rotated. This latch has a hook or claspwhich takes hold upon the outer surface of the ratchet and retains thepart including the tenon of the side rail to which it is secured in itsplace in union with the corner post.

rIhe side rails E and F are each furnished with a seriesof bed pins (a)projecting from the periphery of each to receive the bed cord Z). Theend rails G also have each a central bed pin (C). The bed cord b beingsecured by one end to a pin in one of the side rails nearest to one ofthe corner posts, is extended across the bed frame passing, the firsttime across, around the central pin c in one of the end rails G andthence around a pin in the side rail opposite to the one from whence itfirst started and thence back and around the next pin to the one fromwhence it began, and thence back to a next pin upon the opposite sideand so on back and forth around each pin upon the opposite sides, intheir regular order until all the pins are encompassed by the cord, thecord passing the last time across around the central pin in the end railGr opposite to and corresponding with the pin in the end rail aroundwhich the cord was passed the first time it was carried across asexplained. The last end of the cord is then properly secured.

The frame now being together properly, and the bed cord having beenapplied as described it is prepared to be tightened so as to be renderedsuiiiciently firm to maintain the weight of a bed or mattress and anoccupant without swagging or becoming unduly depressed in the center.The side rail E or the windlass as it may be called, is furnished with astout pin (Z) placed. near the center from the two ends. A suitablelever of wood or iron is taken and one end placed under the rail orwindlass E at A loop is then formed by passing a rope from the pin (Z)over the top of the rail E and around the lever or bar and thence backto (Z) where it is properly secured at the other end, thus forming aloop. An outward or downward pressure now exerted upon the outer'end ofthe lever will exert a powerful strain to cause the top of E to rotateoutwardly. In doing so it exerts a heavy strain upon all parts of thebed cord, as is manifest, rendering it as tight as may be desired. Inthe rotation of the side rail E the ratchet (e) is carried around andthe latch (lt) entering new notches or recesses as they are presented bythe revolving of the rail and ratchet, retains the same securely at thepoint of tension to which they are carried.

Whenever by continued use for a considerable time'the bed cord becomesslack,

it is readily restored to a desired tension by the lever and loopemployed as explained. The pin (Z) may be movable in the hole in E so asto be taken out in case it should, in the revolution of E, presentitself upwardly and be found to interfere with the bed when placed uponthe bedstead.

An end view of the square tenon of F and of the flanged socket whichpertains to it is seen in Fig. t.

My improvements secure a means of constructing a bedstead which may beeasily taken down or put up by one man without tools. The bed cord canalso be tightened readily and with ease requiring only the pressure ofone person upon the end of a lever to render the rope sufficiently tightfor all purposes. The cord (b) passing around the pins (c) in the railsG serves in connection with the hooks or clasps which have beendescribed to retain the frame of the bedstead firmly together.

Having fully described my invention I do not claim any of the partsthereof separately, nor in combination, except as specilicallyexpressed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Theflanged sockets and hooked fasteners or clasps as described when used incombination with the windlass rail E with its pin Z ratchet e and latchz, all arranged to operate as and for the purposes set forth.

THOMAS VALL.

Witnesses:

IVM. CLOUGH, CHARLES L. FISHER.

